It seemed like Marc-Edouard Vlasic was going to be quite the surprise hero on Thursday. Instead, he was one of many San Jose Sharks players left stunned by a late Game 2 surge as the Los Angeles Kings rode a 5-on-3 power play to a 4-3 win and 2-0 series lead.

That’s try to make sense of the madness.

Ignoring how you feel about the puck over the glass rule for a moment and taking it at face value: did Vlasic deserve a delay of game penalty there or did the puck hit Jeff Carter‘s arm? Sharks fans might treat that moment like the Zapruder film in the next couple days.

Should Kings fans be concerned that Anze Kopitar is injured despite coming back from a puck to the head? Sometimes these issues end up being a bigger problem than they appear at first.

Can the Sharks recover from this punch to the gut? It’s a pretty brutal way to lose, and now they find themselves down 2-0 in this series.

The Kings power play scored three of their four goals on six opportunities. Are the defending champions the NHL’s top contender if that special teams unit can be an asset?

The shot totals were identical at 31 tonight. How close is this series despite the 2-0 score? Does San Jose deserve a better fate?

Exactly, kill the damn penalty. They gave up three power play goals. 4 total. Unless you are the penguins or Blackhawks who can out score teams you aren’t winning like that. Also quick is really freaking good.

gsprulz - May 17, 2013 at 1:36 AM

Panic, adrenaline at that time probably would do it. Anyway we knew it was gonna be a close series. I’m not discrediting the kings win but, man today just wasn’t our day on or off the ice. See y’all in san jose..

hawkeedawg - May 17, 2013 at 1:47 AM

Now you know how Canucks Feel, Karma man!

gsprulz - May 17, 2013 at 2:07 AM

I don’t know how the canucks feel, i dont recall the sharks getting swept…Have much respect for any fanbase who keeps with his/her team through tough times.

gsprulz - May 17, 2013 at 2:09 AM

hawks swept us when they won couple years ago..but its not like i expected to win that series so it didnt mean much.

Well, it’s obvious which team is a defending champion, and which is a perrenial post season bust. As talented as the sharks are there is always something that stops them. Tonight it was blatantly dumb penalties. I almost feel bad for Thornton and
Boyle.

Puck hit Carters arm but when a star player says it went over, it went over. Carter suspended for his charge that caused an injury? Doubt it. Exact same thing as Torres but with a star player. NHL wheel of justice spins once again.

Sharks out played the Kings and got 3 unanswered 5 on 5 goals. Until the Kings do that I am unimpressed.

I din’t see the Sharks with a 5 on 3 to tie the game in the last 2 minutes. Your point is that your team was a better team because they took advantage of a bogus 5 on 3? Refs make mistakes and need to be forgiven. Stupid fans that make ridiculously homer comments are just idiotic.

You’ve got to be one of the most biased commenters on here. Vlassic (im assuming thats the “injury” you’re talking about) turned his back to the boards after Carter made the commitment to hit him. Definitely a penalty, but not suspension worthy, and as for saying he injured him, i guess you weren’t paying attention when vlassic scored a goal. Keep talking, but right now it looks as though you guys are primed to choke again. I honestly hope the Sharks can get a win and make it an interesting series, provided the kings win of course

Yes he probably is biased, but what does that make you? You are calling the Sharks chokers for giving up a goal on a 5 on 3 for a non penalty? If the Sharks got a that break (and a huge break it was, because if you don’t think that puck went off of Carter you need to get a reality check) I wouldn’t be calling the Kings chokers for giving up the goal. I’d thank my lucky stars and shut up about the other team.

Take your gift and move on rather than insult someone who is upset because of a the officials missed what happened and gave your team a 5 on 3 at the end of a game.

Ha if only you could realize the irony in your comment. Im calling the sharks chokers because regardless of whether or not it hit Carter that puck was going out of play. I only watched the game and haven’t seen highlights so maybe it did go off him. I don’t really know. They choked in the sense that they had a win in hand, an opportunity to seal the game and even the series, yet stupid penalties and poor defensive play lost them the game. So yes they did choke, and you wouldn’t be calling the kings chokers because they don’t seem to do it year after year.

First of all, there is no evidence whatsoever that the puck went off Carter’s arm. Both video angles don’t give a clear picture of that. I can’t see it either way…how can you be so sure?

Second of all, Carter’s “charge” wasn’t much of a penalty. You will notice the referee didn’t call boarding. That’s because replays in Staples Center (yes I was there tonight) clearly show Vlasic turning his head before the hit. So no boarding.

It is not the same thing as what Torres did. Torres was suspended the remainder of the series because he targeted Stoll’s head. Anyone who sees this game with a clear head without emotion knows you cannot compare the two hits. Not even close.

Anyone (even a Sharks fan) that is not impressed with a Kings team that has a 22-6 record so far through the last two seasons’ playoff runs has too much hate in their heart as to be discounted immediately.

There is a difference between hating a team and respecting a team, Sharks fan.

First off i don’t think it hit Carters arm, but it was a close, questionable call. The goaltending has been great on both sides. Key saves by both goalies, and both have taken a few off the board this series. It should be a 1-1 series if not for Quick. If their power play keeps clicking it looks like it could be LA in the finals. To me the east is a toss up between NYR, BOS, and PIT. God i love playoffs

Not a fan of
Either team but delay of game is a stupid penalty if you put the puck over same rules as icing delay of games is deciding games to often as it did tonight it’s sad to see a team loose from some stupid call that shouldn’t even be there

You know I’d buy these “refs are biased” claims a lot more if they didn’t always come from the users whose team just lost.

lakingscup12 - May 17, 2013 at 1:15 AM

Well, since all the Sharks fans will say the puck hit Carter’s arm, every other Kings fan and I will say it did not! But either way, this series has been very evenly matched, with both teams outplaying the other at times.

The Sharks did not completely outplay the Kings by any means tonight, it was a back and forth, 50-50 game. The only difference in this series so far has been the Kings have capitalized on their scoring opportunities, the Sharks have not.

Great all around game, I’m excited for the rest if the series. But Sharks fans, seriously, quit the whining. It’s annoying.

Kings were outplayed for much of the second and third periods. I was at the game and the Sharks had three unanswered goals for which the Kings did not seem to have an answer. And the Kings better solve their woeful face-off issues or we are going to see the Sharks come roaring back.

I do agree about Sharks’ fans whining. They have to be the most crybaby fan base in the league. It really gets old.

All this talk about whining. Put yourself in the Sharks shoes. If that happened to the Kings it would be the same way.

3 unanswered 5 on 5. Period. That happened. Took a 5 on 3 to win. That actually happened. You cant whine when it actually happened. It is just stating facts. Sharks should have won. No matter how many negative comments i get back for this or thumbs down you kings fans know, it was a loss coming your way.

Actually it took dumb penalties and a bad PK for the Sharks for LA to win. If i was in your shoes, hell ya id be bummed but i wouldn’t be whining about a missed call, id be more disappointed in my teams lack of ability to finish. If the Sharks should’ve won then why didn’t they? Because once again they choked/let up/whatever you want to call it. Kings won. That actually happened.

hawkeedawg - May 17, 2013 at 1:51 AM

Told you Sharkies before, now you have real officials and you won’t get the calls, the Sharks should not have won, you took the penalties and paid the price.

Great game. If the Kings continue on and win this series they will most likely contend with Chicago next, a team that is running on all cylinders. Should make a great series. Advantage Quick.

GO KINGS GO! GO QUICK GO!

patthehockeyfan - May 17, 2013 at 8:31 AM

“Advantage Quick” AGREE. GO, KINGS, GO!!

gsprulz - May 17, 2013 at 1:21 AM

Well that hit of Carter for sure now looking at the replay. Problem is Sharks need 1 win in LA to probably win the series. If they did it tonight, oh this series was gonna take a turn in our favor but, we’ll get em. Go Sharks!

phillyphanatic77 - May 17, 2013 at 1:32 AM

What a heartbreaker for San Jose. They were finally able to solve Quick then they take a few penalties and blow it. Those types of devastating losses can kill a teams psyche. We’ll see if they can recover. As for the Kings… wow. They are playing some good hockey. They look very much like the defending champs. Is a repeat in the cards? If Quick keeps playing at a Conn Smythe level then they can beat anyone, including the already crowned Penguins.

manchestermiracle - May 17, 2013 at 1:33 AM

After the third unanswered goal it looked like the Sharks would steal home ice. Then they seemed to go into a shell trying to protect their one-goal lead and took some pretty stupid penalties. After the Kings tied it I was sure it was going to OT. Glad it didn’t.

I can’t blame Quick for any of those goals he gave up. One was a terrible job on defense in letting Marleau in behind on that nice bang-bang passing play. One was the screened slap-shot by Stuart, again on the D for not clearing the slot. And Vlasic’s wrister seemed to be a fluke since that guy never scores.

Niemi played very well, but got let down in the end because his defense made some of the same mistakes, notably not clearing Brown and not picking up Lewis.

Worried about Kopi, but he came back and seemed to have his usual jump. We’ll see, injuries are always just waiting to derail your run. Not having Stoll has already hurt the Kings to the tune of losing twice as many faceoffs as they won.

I don’t see the Sharks folding just because of this heart-breaker. They’ll be ready to go back home in San Jose and looking for some revenge, you can bet on that.

Shot equality doesn’t mean much, since the ones that go in are the only ones that count. I’d rather get outshot and win 2-0 than have an equal number and have to scramble to pull one out.

Not going to waste anyone’s time speculating on who the Kings might play if they advance. That’s right, if. Other Kings’ fans can crow about a 2-0 series lead, but these teams split four games in the regular season and the Sharks always give the Kings a tough game. San Jose has outplayed L.A. for long stretches already in this series and, in my opinion, could easily win both up north. Kings could just as easily sweep.

So sjsharks66, special teams is not a big part of the game? I agree that the sharks won the 5 on 5 battle, but the Kings took advantage of all their opportunities.

I can state facts too. The Sharks were 0-3 on the powerplay in game 1 and 0-4 in game 2. But in the end, it’s not right to say the Kings had a loss coming their way when they led 2-0 through half the game, and did what they had to do to win. I’m not trying to be a jerk, just trying to defend my team as I’m sure you will do the same for yours.

rake661 - May 17, 2013 at 2:12 AM

Outplay the Kings?? I guess the Shark fans forgot who was ahead 2-0… In the 2nd. And if it went off Carter’s arm don’t you think it would have deflected off differently than it did and would have stayed in play?? bottom line is Kings came back the Finished it off.Sharks gave up..that’s why they won’t Win the Cup..Period!!!!

aldog83 - May 17, 2013 at 3:17 AM

This series is far from over.

But “Shoulda” “Coulda” “Woulda” is not gonna win any series.

I am a KINGS FAN and respect Coach McClennan for not making excuses after game.

Last year all Phoenix did was Complain and Cry!!

In the end I hope the Sharks suffer the same fate.

(Nobody felt sorry for KINGS 2 yrs ago when they beat the KINGS!!!)

KINGS showed great heart again.

Its ONE thing to get the calls……

Its a WHOLE other thing to “Seize the MOMENT”

And WIN The GAME!!!

GO KINGS GO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

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8man - May 17, 2013 at 6:41 AM

Did not see this happening. I’ve heard the term, “built for the playoffs.” That must be what the Kings are. Then again, there is a certain moxy that accompanies being the reigning Stanley Cup Champions.

Looks like the NHL has gone the way of NBA and NFL where no lead is safe even with 3m left. It just reeks of luck when games end like this.

8man - May 17, 2013 at 11:06 AM

You know I said the same thing the other day. I remember when I was in my teens, decades ago, watching NBA games. If a team led by 12 with 6 minutes to go, it was game over. They knew how to put you away.

The NFL was the same way. And then that Oilers/Bills playoff game happened…

jkaflagg - May 17, 2013 at 7:38 PM

Sharks should remember that the Kings were in exactly the same spot in round 1, heading home after two very difficult losses in St. Louis…..Sharks don’t quite have the confidence the Kings have built, but they do have Niemi….that’s their best shot to turn the series around.